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6. SEL-Focused Partner or Group Games
Whether you are supporting unstructured play or guided play, many teachers struggle to find the time to incorporate play in their rigorous academic schedules. See chapter 5 (page 223) to learn about how to plan for the various types of play within your daily, weekly, or monthly schedule.
Maria inwardly groaned as she watched Maggie and Daniel team up to play the mathematics partner game she’d assigned. She normally assigned partners to prevent this from happening, but she’d forgotten this time. I suppose, she thought, that this will be a good opportunity for them to practice their SEL skills. I hope there is not a big outburst. Playing games throughout the day tended to be a cause of problems with many of her students who want to win. For Daniel, games often caused frustration with waiting his turn, deciding who will go first, and playing fairly. Losing seemed to be so upsetting to him. Yet, Maria thought, games are a part of life, and being able to lose is a fairly critical life skill. I can’t just send Daniel to the office every time we are going to play a game, and I know that using games in mathematics can be a very powerful and effective teaching strategy. Something has to change here.
Another interactive teaching strategy already embedded into classroom routines is group and partner games. As with play, these games allow students to naturally engage in SEL building block 2: reciprocal engagement. These games are also an avenue for directly teaching social-emotional learning skills to students. There are several ways to use partner or group games to either teach SEL skills or provide opportunities for students to practice these skills with their peers. In figure 4.14, we list five different ways to use partner or group games to teach SEL to elementary students. We will discuss each of these five ways in the following sections.
Social-Emotional Learning Partner and Group Games
TeacherCreated, Specific-SkillsFocused SEL Games Purchased General SEL Games
Academic Games With Embedded SEL Focus
Traditional Board Games With SEL Add-On Game Features Games to Support Inhibitory Control
Figure 4.14: Types of SEL partner or group games.
The following sections will go into further detail on these five types of SEL partner or group games: (1) teacher-created, specific-skills-focused SEL games; (2) purchased general SEL games; (3) academic games with embedded SEL focus; (4) traditional board games with SEL add-on game features; and (5) games to support inhibitory control.
A teacher team can use social-emotional games to teach students specific SEL skills within the targeted SEL building blocks. For example, figure 4.15 depicts an SEL standard, written in student-friendly language, that we shared in the student SEL goal card in figure 4.4 (page 165).
I can identify and label feelings and emotions (happy, surprised, sad, angry, proud, afraid, silly).
Scared Happy Sad Excited
Figure 4.15: Essential SEL standard in student-friendly language.
Imagine a team of teachers creating a set of cards that have a scenario that matches a picture of an emotion (see figure 4.16). Students can use this one set of cards for multiple games. They can work together to simply match the scenario with the emotion. Give each student a card and ask them to find someone in the classroom that has the corresponding card, or use the set of cards to play the games Go Fish and Memory. Once you create your cards, you can place the set of cards in a plastic baggie and label it with the student-friendly SEL I can statement so it is visible to students.
Sad
Figure 4.16: SEL matching emotions card game example.
You can use games like this, which the team creates and specifically focuses around grade-level SEL skills and concepts, during designated playtime, student choice time,
or indoor recess, or use them for small-group instruction. You can also send cards home for students to use and play with their families.
Purchased General SEL Games
In addition to creating specific targeted social-emotional learning games, there are social-emotional board games or various SEL learning activities students can use with a computer or a tablet that schools can purchase for student use. Keep in mind that using digital platforms to teach SEL skills does not include SEL building block 2 (reciprocal engagement). While there is value in these games and activities, they cannot serve in place of meaningful interactions with the teacher and peers.
With so much academic content to teach, it can be difficult to find time for students to play SEL games. We suggest having students play these games during embedded playtime (indoor recess, scheduled choice time built into the daily schedule, or at the end of the day during dismissal). Another time could be when students are finished with their independent work. Often teachers suggest that students read a book if they have completed their assigned task. As an alternative, a student could play a digital SEL game independently or find a partner (someone else who is also finished with their assigned task) to play the SEL board game. Additionally, teachers might want to find time to build specific SEL learning time into their daily or weekly schedule. In this scenario, using a workshop model, students could engage in independent learning with the use of a computer or tablet, or students could play an SEL board game with a partner or small group. This structure would then free up the teacher to work with smaller groups of students who may need more targeted SEL-focused instruction.
We remind teachers that it is important to seek out quality social-emotional learning games that specifically connect to your grade-level SEL standards and match students’ skill levels. Therefore, we suggest consulting the school counselor, the special education teacher, or the school’s SEL team for advice on which games to use with students; or seeking out research-based SEL programs with embedded digital gaming components. Having students play SEL computer or tablet games, even daily, is not enough to support a student’s learning of social-emotional concepts and skills. Rather, it is just one piece that has the potential to strengthen students’ social-emotional learning when implemented effectively and used in addition to other effective teaching methods.
Academic Games With Embedded SEL Focus
Social-emotional learning can also happen when students engage in academic partner games. As anyone who has spent time around children can attest, games that involve winning and losing often cause big emotions. And at times, those big emotions can become distractions in the classroom. Teachers can be proactive in supporting these moments by embedding social-emotional learning supports within their academic game routines. For example, a teacher might use sentence frames or sentence starters to help students engage in fair play (SEL building blocks 3: social awareness;
and 5: logical and responsible decision making) and practice social communication skills (SEL building block 2: reciprocal engagement) with one another during specific content-focused game playing with a group or partner (see figure 4.17).
While playing a game with a friend, I can: 1. Greet my partner 2. Take turns 3. Ask questions using a kind tone 4. Use kind and encouraging words during the game, such as “Can you please give me the dice?” or “Your turn.” 5. Use self-talk and my strategies to stay calm and focused 6. Win or lose—use encouraging, kind words after the game or shake hands (or fist bump, elbow tap, or air high-five) with my partner: “Nice game!” or “You can go first this time since I went first last time.”
Figure 4.17: SEL partner game guide.
If students are to learn these skills, teachers must directly teach and model these skills before allowing students to practice with teacher guidance. On an anchor chart, the students and the teacher can create a set of prosocial skills or regulation strategies (see figure 4.17) to use while playing games. Next, the teacher can play and model the skills listed on the anchor chart with a student partner. In this scenario, the game-playing partners sit in the center as the rest of the class sits around them in a circle, observing them play the game (fishbowl modeling activity). The teacher can stop along the way asking the students in the class questions: What did I do to greet my partner before we started the game? Why do you think greeting your partner is important? What did you notice about my tone of voice throughout the game? The teacher will also want to model examples of fair appropriate play and unfair inappropriate play, as well as examples of self-talk. To do this, the teacher might pause during the game and turn to the student audience and say, “This is what I’m thinking in my brain: Right now at this part of the game, I’m noticing that I’m getting really anxious, I can feel my palms beginning to get a little sweaty, and I’m holding my breath a little bit more than usual on each of my turns. I feel like I might lose this game, and I’m feeling really frustrated. Last time I didn’t win I got really upset and flipped the game board; maybe this time I shouldn’t do that. It’s OK if I don’t win this one time; maybe I can ask my partner if we can play another round and maybe I’ll win in the next round.”
For routine practice, the teacher can print out the prosocial skills and regulation strategies the students generated onto small cards and store them with the academic games that students play. Or, teachers can create one larger card that students can use with any game they play within the classroom. It is important to teach students this classroom routine and have them practice getting the SEL Partner Game Guide during any type of partner or group play. This guide serves as a visual reminder to the
students. These I can cards should include more visuals and fewer words for younger students. Students can reflect on their own game play if this list is given to them on small paper copies with check boxes. After a few rounds, students can use this as a self-reflection tool to help them recognize their own actions during the game (see figure 4.18). Paper copies can be created and collected as data and evidence of students using SEL skills or these templates can be laminated or put into dry-erase sleeves for repeated use.
While playing a game with a friend, I can: Greet my partner Take turns Ask questions using a kind tone Use kind and encouraging words during the game such as “Can you please give me the dice?” or “Your turn.” Use self-talk and my strategies to stay calm and focused Win or lose—use encouraging, kind words after the game or shake hands with my partner:
“Nice game!” or “You can go first this time since I went first last time.” Other skills I used
Figure 4.18: SEL partner game self-assessment card.
Visit go.SolutionTree.com/instruction for a free reproducible version of this figure.
Social-emotional skills can be taught through the use of traditional strategic board games like Monopoly, Chutes and Ladders, and others. Traditional board games innately require students to use wait time and take turns, use communication and listening skills, and follow a set of directions. The use of these board games supports the building of social-emotional skills as well as important mathematics and literacy skills (such as oral communication). To create better student awareness of these social-emotional skills, teachers can add on additional social-emotional components to traditional board games. For instance, teachers can introduce a set of SEL game cards to go along with traditional board games (see figure 4.19 and figure 4.20). In this example, each student starts a board game with six social-emotional skills cards (figure 4.19) and a social-emotional game board mat (figure 4.20). The goal is to receive and give away social-emotional cards throughout the game. By both receiving and giving away cards during the game, students can earn an extra turn or move spaces ahead or back to strategically help them win the game.
I can listen to my friends.
RULES OF THE GAME
I can show good sportsmanship. I can be patient and wait my turn.
I can follow directions. I can show honesty. I can use a respectful tone/voice and words.
Figure 4.19: Social-emotional “I can” game cards.
Visit go.SolutionTree.com/instruction for a free reproducible version of this figure.
Place the 1st card that you receive here. Place the 2nd card that you receive here. Place the 3rd card that you receive here. Place the 4th card that you receive here.
Check off a star or place a marker on a star every time you give out a card during the game. « « « «
You get an extra turn if you gave 1 card and got 1 card. . . . Extra turn! You get an extra turn or get to move ahead 1 space if you gave 2 cards and got 2 cards. . . . Extra turn or move up 1 space You get an extra turn or get to move ahead 2 spaces if you gave 3 cards and got 3 cards. . . . Extra turn or move up 2 spaces You get to choose if you get an extra turn or move up or back 1, 2, or 3 spaces if you gave 4 cards and got 4 cards. YOU CHOOSE . . . Extra turn or move up or back 1, 2, or 3 spaces
Figure 4.20: Social-emotional game board mat.
Visit go.SolutionTree.com/instruction for a free reproducible version of this figure.
This is just one idea of adding on SEL features to traditional board games. We encourage and challenge you and your teammates to use your creativity and talents to come up with other ideas where students can practice social-emotional skills and prosocial behaviors across the school setting.
Games to Support Inhibitory Control
Not all games require the use of tangible items or extensive preparation. You can use playful whole-group games or organized activities like obstacle courses (Lillas & Turnbull, 2009) to support students’ ability to control their impulses, stop on demand, and attend to social cues. You can embed these games into morning meeting or shorten and use them during transitions. Games like Red Light, Green Light are prevalent in early childhood classrooms but are not seen as often in middle and upper elementary classrooms. Yet these games are often exactly what students need to support their social-emotional regulation in a safe setting. The disappointment or frustration a child feels during a game when they lose their impulse control and act without thinking is a smaller version of their emotional response when faced with a larger problem. Aside from asking the child to practice using impulse control, these games allow children to experience those moments of frustration, practice using self-calming strategies, and develop competence in coping with those emotions.
You can also incorporate these games into the transition periods discussed previously (page 159). The following are some games that you can include throughout your day that are appropriate for all ages. • Stop, Watch, Follow Along: One student leaves the room and the class begins to mime a pattern by clapping, foot stomping, and so on (two claps, two foot stomps, tap shoulders, repeat). Once the class has learned the pattern, the student outside the room is invited back in to join. The goal for this student is to first stop and watch the group to learn the pattern and then to follow along. Students who try to jump in before watching will often get the pattern wrong. This game supports the inhibitory response as well as social awareness of following the cues of others (Bellini, 2016, pp. 167–168). • Find the Leader: This game is similar to Stop, Watch, and Follow Along as one student leaves the room. This time, the teacher chooses a leader to create a pattern and change it sporadically. The rest of the class must copy the leader and change when the leader changes. (For instance, the leader might start with a clap, stomp, clap pattern but change to clapping twice and stomping once.) The student returns to the room and must watch the group to identify who the leader is. This game encourages the student to use the social cues of others to find the leader, while the other students must also use social cues to copy the movement patterns (social awareness building block).
• Silent Imaginary Speed Ball: The students stand in a circle large enough so that everyone can see each other. The teacher throws an imaginary ball to someone in the circle, and that person is expected to throw it to someone else. Because there is not a real ball, this game requires students to track social cues and eye contact, as well as use impulse control to not just jump at the pretend ball. The game becomes more fun once the teacher models funny catches or throwing the ball in dramatic ways, such as catching the ball as though it hurt. • Mirror Game: In this game students can either be in pairs or follow one group leader. The idea is for one person to act as the mirror of the partner or leader and to copy their movements and behaviors exactly.
This works skills within the reciprocal engagement, social awareness, and social-emotional regulation blocks, particularly in the area of inhibitory control. • Laughing Tissue: The teacher stands on a chair and releases a tissue into the air. The class is allowed to laugh as hard as they can as long as the tissue is falling, but as soon as it touches the ground everyone must be silent. This works on inhibitory control in the social-emotional regulation building block. • Freeze Dance: The teacher plays music as the class dances, and when the music stops, the class freezes. Anyone moving after the music stops must sit down. This targets the students’ ability to control their movements and stop on demand (social-emotional regulation). These dance parties can also include going from dancing quickly to suddenly moving slowly. Asking students to shift movements from fast to slow or from fast to freezing allows them to practice this modulation of movements (Lillas & Turnbull, 2009). • “Do when I say ”: Teachers can use this version of
Simon Says for preparing students to listen and attend to the teacher for transitions. The teacher gives students a set of directions (for example, hop up and down, do jumping jacks, find a partner) and tells them not to move until they say “go” (or the targeted word). The teacher then says anything besides go (goldfish, gold, gopher) and the students must listen carefully to hear the correct word. This game works best if it is used during a transition when the teacher begins using an animated voice and high affect and then slowly down-regulates their body language and voice until they finally whisper “go.” • Obstacle Courses: Obstacle course games and activities ask students to practice their ability to follow a sequence of movement activities while regulating themselves and modulating their movements to follow the course (Lillas & Turnbull, 2009).
